Jonny Dart's coming of age begins on the fifth anniversary of his sister's death as he attempts to find her best friend, Bonny Benedicta, the only other witness to Janine's fall from the cliff overlooking the sea at Seacliff Heights Reserve. The next sixteen chapters trace Jonny's journey back to Colville, a decaying neighborhood he had lived in with Janine. Here in a period of three days he becomes involved with Sophie West, who confuses him with her former lover; he confronts his childhood nemesis, Nev; he locates Bonny; and he begins to come to terms with the tragedy of Janine's death.

The last chapter opens on the traffic island on which Jonny had awakened from a drunken stupor six weeks earlier. Dressed the same in his striped blazer and bandit hat, Jonny, still carrying his Walkman, returns to Sophie and Bonny for a final confrontation with the...